Sewer utilities can improve performance and reverse the aging process by implementing buried infrastructure management (BIM), a systematic planning process that allows them to leverage resources to maximize the immediate and long-term benefits of every action.

In 2004, four hurricanes made landfall in Florida. While not all of them impacted Marion County, we had the unusual misfortune of dealing with two of the storms in September—back-to-back. Both storms (Frances and Jeanne) were packing tropical storm force winds by the time they reached us, with...